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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. squash — the sport
  3. pit — in a race
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. suit — to fit
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. saw — the tool
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. bear — the animal
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. pit — a hole
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. game — wild animals
  15. pass — a permit
  16. suit — clothes
  17. squash — to crush
  18. saw — the tool
  19. can — a tin
  20. suit — in cards
  21. bear — the animal
  22. can — to be able to
  23. game — a match
  24. can — a tin

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com